Incubator



Sept. 13, 1938. E STOVER 2,130,043

INGUBATOR Filed May 3, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. E. STOVER Sept. 13, 1938.

INCUBATOR Filed May 5, 1954 6 SheetsSheet 2 .JvwcmAnv FRANK E. 5T0 VER, 31

Sept. 13, 1938. STOVER' 2,130,043

INCUBATOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May a, 1954 89 \FIGuG.

gay I 7kg N Gil/mm,

Sept. 13, 1938.

Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in incubators, and has for its object to provide an incubator cabinet having a chamber therein providing a radiating surface, with means in the 6 cabinet to cause the air therein to move and impinge upon the radiating surface.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cabinet in which trays of eggs may be arranged in stacks having means for reducing the air pres- 10 sure in the cabinet, and means for conveying heat to the interior of the cabinet by radiation, and means to cause the air in the cabinet to cross the paths of the radiated heat.

It is an object of the invention to provide, in

15 connection with an incubator cabinet, means for causing heat to be radiated into the cabinet, together with means for causing a circulation of the heat supply medium, and regulating the temperature of the heat supply medium.

20 It is also an object of the invention to provide,

in connection with an incubating cabinet, a continuous chamber for the circulation of the heating fluid, together with means ior causing the circulation of the fluid through the chamber and the introduction into the chamber of a definite,

regulated amount of cooled air, the amount of cooled air admitted being determined mainly by the temperature of the heating fluid.

It is also an object of this invention to pro- 30 vide, in connection with an incubating cabinet, means for moving the air within the cabinet and applying moisture to the moved air, said means consisting of blades in the form of radially disposed troughs and rectangular channels, and

35 means for delivering the moisture so it will be mixed with the air as it passes along the troughs and channels.

It is a further object to provide an incubator having a plurality of cabinets, with means for 40 independently controlling the temperature, pressure and moisture in each cabinet, and a common source of heat for all of the cabinets.

It is a further object to provide, in connection with a cabinet, a vacuum system for producing 45 in the cabinet a sub-atmospheric pressure and to regulate this pressure.

These and other objects and advantages will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings.

50 Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section through one of the cabinets, looking from the left of Figure 2 with parts broken away and showing the egg tray supporting and turning means.

55 Figure 1a is a fragmentary side elevational view of a part of the egg turning means shown in Figure 1.

Figure 2 is a view showing the rear side of the group of cabinets.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of 5 the structure illustrated in Figure 1 showing the upper rear corner of one of the cabinets, together with a part of the air circulatory system in section.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4- of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal section through the casing containing the cooling wheel chamber and the vacuum chamber on line 1-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a vertical section through the structure shown in Figure 1, with the front wall of the cabinet broken away to show the mechanisms contained therein.

Figure 9 is a vertical section of the top tray of one of the stacks of trays, on a line similar to line 99 of Figure 10 showing the egg turning rack therein. I

Figure 10 is a section on the line Ill-l0 of Figure 1.

The present incubator structure consists of a plurality of cabinets arranged to form egg-containing chambers in which the temperature conditions are independently controlled for the application of heat and moisture to each chamber to and from a common source of heat, the air and moisture being distributed by power means driven from a common source of operative power.

The cabinet structure as a whole (Figure 1) has a front I, a top 2, a bottom 3, sides 4 and partitions 5 separating the cabinet structure inv to various chambers. There is also a back 6. The front l, is provided with an opening 1! for each incubating chamber. This opening has a suitable closure in the form of a door la. Within the interior of each chamber and adjacent the back 6 is an annular chamber 8 formed by means of a plurality of radiating plates 9. These plates are attached to the back, bottom, sides and partitions and form with these members the annular chamber. This annular chamber is rectangular in shape rather than round and corresponds to the general contour of the back of the main chamber.

At the bottom of the back and leading from the annular chamber 8 of each incubating chaminside of the back 6.

ber is an air outlet I I]. In the back 6, at the top of each chamber, is an air inlet opening II. To each air outlet there is connected an outlet pipe I2 (Figure 2), which leads into an outlet main I3 which is closed at one end and provided at its other end with an opening I4 leading into a heating chamber I5 and a fresh air inlet opening |4a. Around the opening i4 is a fan I6, operated by a motor supported on a bracket Ila on the cabinet. This fan is so constructed that it will take air from the outlet I3 and force it into the heating chamber, which has therein heating coils l8. Connected to the upper end of the heating chamber is a hot air pipe I9, which has one end connected to the heating chamber and it extends horizontally along the back of the cabinet adjacent the top.

Extending downwardly from the pipe |9 are a plurality of pipes 20 (Figure 2), one for each incubating chamber. To each pipe 2|] is attached a rectangularly shaped housing 2| (Figures 1 and 3), which has an inlet 22, the purpose of which will be later described. Extending horizontally from the housing 2| is a pipe 23, which extends through the opening into the chamber 8, and is provided with a closure 24 for closing the inner end thereof. The upper edge of this pipe, adjacent the closure, is provided. with an opening 25 through which the air will pass into the chamber 8. A part 26 of each one of the plates 9 adjacent the opening 25 is shaped to form a seal between the inner end of the pipe 23 and the plate 3.

Pivotally supported by the inner end of the pipe 23 is a shaft 21, which has attached thereto one end of an arm 28 by means of a screw 29. This arm extends longitudinally through the pipe 23 and terminates in the housing 2|. On the other end of this arm are two forks 30, each of which has a slot 3| therein for receiving a pin 32 located on a sleeve 33.

Through this sleeve extends a rod 36. On this rod and adjacent one end of the sleeve 36 is a disc 34, suitably held against the end of the sleeve by means of a nut 38. Against the other end of the sleeve is a disc 35, held on the rod by means of a nut 31. This rod extends upwardly from the housing 2|, through the pipe I9, and is guided by means of a guide sleeve 39 formed integral with and extending downwardly from the upper edge of the pipe I9.

On the shaft 21 on the outside of the pipe 23 (Figure 1) is an arm 40, which is adapted to be engaged by the upper end of a vertically disposed arm 4| pivoted on a bracket 42 attached to the To the free end of this bracket there is attached one end of a lever 43. which has swivelly attached to its other end one end of a screw 44 threaded into a bracket 45 supported on the top 2 of the incubator casing.

The other end of the screw 44 has thereon a fork member 46, to which one end of a rod 41 is pivoted. This rod extends forwardly through the front of the cabinet I, adjacent the top 2, and has thereon a head 48 by which the rod and screw may be rotated for adjusting the lever 43.

Extending between the lever 43 and the arm 4| is a thermostat 48a. The position of the lever 43 is determined by rotating the screw 44. The heat within the incubator chamber acts upon the ther-' mostat 48a and causes the arm 4| to act upon the arm 40 to cause the arm 28 to move and manipulate the valves in the form of discs 34 and35. The disc 34 is for the purpose of closing or restricting the passageway formed by the pipe 26,

while the disc 35 is used for closing or restricting the inlet passageway formed by the inlet 22. The positions of these discs are regulated by the thermostat 48a, and the temperature at which the thermostat will operate these discs is regulated by means of the screw 44 and the rod 41 and the head 48.

At the back of each incubating chamber (Figures 6 and '7) and supported by the'back 6 is a casing structure 49, which has on one side thereof a cooling blower chamber 56 provided with an outlet 5| leading into a pipe 52 extending from the outlet 5| to the inlet 22 of the housing 2|. This cooling blower chamber is provided with an inlet 53 for the purpose of admitting cool air into the chamber and into the housing for admission into the annular chamber 8. The bottom of the cooling chamber is provided with a closure 54. In this chamber is a cooling blower 55, supported on a shaft 56 mounted in suitable bearings 51 in a wall of the casing structure.

On the free end of the shaft 56 is a pulley 58 for receiving a belt by which the shaft and the cooling blower are rotated. There is also provided in this casing structure a vacuum chamber 59, which has an inlet 60 extending through the back of the incubator chamber for the purpose of withdrawing air from the incubator chamber and producing therein a reduced air pressure. In this vacuum chamber is a vacuum blower 6| supported on a shaft 62 in bearings 63 provided in a suitable part of the casing structure. On this shaft 62 without the vacuum chamber is a pulley 64, similar in shape, size and purpose to the pulley 58 and adapted to receive the same belt. This vacuum casing is provided with an outlet controlled by means of a gate or closure 65. By movement of this gate or closure the exhaustion of the air from the interior of the casing may be regulated.

In the casing structure between the cooling blower and the vacuum chamber (Figure 6) is a cylindrical chamber 66, through which a shaft 61 extends. One end of this shaft is reduced at 68 to form a shoulder 69. This reduced part 68 of the shaft is supported by means of bearings I8 located in one end of the cylindrical chamber 66. The other end of the shaft 61 is reduced at TI to form a shoulder 12. Around this reduced part of the shaft and against the shoulder 12 is a bearing 13 supported adjacent the other end of the cylindrical chamber.

The end of the cylindrical chamber adjacent the bearing 13 is partially closed by means of a disc 14 attached thereto by means of screws 15. In the center of this disc is a hole 16 for the reduced part ll of the shaft 61. Between the disc 14 and the bearing 13 there is a spring 11. On the end of the shaft 61, between the pulleys 58 and 64, is a pulley I8 which has on its periphery a groove to receive the belt I9 for operating the two pulleys 58 and 64. Adjacent this groove the pulley 18 is provided with an annular friction surface for engagement by a friction gear 84, mounted ona shaft 8| supported in bearings 82 provided in brackets 83 attached to the back of the incubator casing structure, and also serving to support the casing structure 49.

The pulley 18 is rotated by means of the coneshaped friction gear 84 which engages the friction surface 80. This friction gear is supported on the shaft 8| by means of a sleeve 85, which has on one end thereof, in engagement with the friction gear 84, a flange 86. The sleeve 85 is attached to the shaft 8| by means of a pin or some similar instrumentality 81.

On the end of the shaft 6! remote from thepulley I8 is a sleeve 88 (Figures 1 and 8), which has extending radially therefrom a plurality of blades. Each blade consists of a radially and axially extending plate-like member 89. Each plate 89 has on one edge thereof a radially extending plate 90, which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotary agitator and also perpendicular to the plate 89. On the leading edge of each plate is a plate III, which extends to and is united at one end with one end of a plate 92 attached to the trailing edge of an adjacent plate 90.

These plates 89, 90, 9| and 92 serve to form a plurality of troughs for the reception and dissemination of moisture. The trough adjacent the leading edge is indicated by the numeral 93, while the trough adjacent the trailing edge is indicated by the numeral 94. Each trough 93 is provided with a cover which extends from the tip of the blade more than halfway to the center of rotation of the rotary agitator. Each trough 94 is provided with a cover 95a which extends from the tip of the blade toward the center of rotation of the rotary agitator less than one-half the length of the blade. These covers form with the various blades rectangular channels through which moisture is forced for distribution through the air, and regulate the flow of air from the center of the wheel to the periphery.

For the purpose of supplying moisture to the rotary agitator or fan adjacent the center thereof (Figure 7), there is a pipe 96 which extends from the wheel to a point above the casing structure 49, and is provided with a funnel 9'! from which it may receive water from a tank 98 through a spigot 99. The quantity of water delivered to each funnel may be regulated according to the needs and requirements of the incubating chamber to which the moisture is to be applied.

In the top of the heating chamber I 5 is a thermostat I00 (Figure 2) which has extending upwardly therefrom, through the upper wall of the chamber, a rod IOI connected at its upper end, in some suitable manner, to a lever I02 pivoted at the point I03. One end of this lever has thereon an adjustable weight I04, while to its other end is attached one end of a rod I05, which extends downwardly for operating a switch I06 to make and break the contact of a circuit I01, which includes the heating coils I8. The details of the switch I06 form no part of the present invention. The effective length of the rod IOI may be varied by the nut IOIa. The responsiveness of the thermostat is controlled by adjusting the weight I04 on the lever I02.

In each incubating chamber and about midway between the front and the back (Figure l) is a plurality of uprights or posts I08, to which is pivotally attached a plurality of tray slides I09 at points H0. These tray slides are arranged in pairs and each pair is adapted to receive an egg tray and support it in the proper position for hatching purposes. Each tray slide is composed of a vertical part, which has a notch I II therein and a horizontally disposed part II2 cutaway at the end adjacent the notch III, as indicated by the numeral H3. The horizontally disposed parts II2 of each pair extend toward each other. For each tray slide there is provided at its front end, adjacent the notch I I I, a slide shoe (Figures 9 and 10) which consists of a vertically disposed part II4 having a part II5 hooked to engage over the upper edge of the tray slide, and a horizontally disposed part. I It provided, at its front end, with a hole I I! to receive the bent end I 24 of the egg turning frame.

The numeral H8 is used to designate the sides of an egg tray, while its ends are designated by the numeral II9. One end has thereon, at each side, a tray lock I20 adapted to fit in a notch II I in the tray slide. The front end of each tray is provided with a hole I2I adapted to receive the egg turning frame, which is composed of side members I22 and transverse members I23. The front end of each side member is bent down at I24 to form a lug adapted to fit in the hole II? in the tray slide shoe. There is also provided in the front end of the tray, intermediate the locks I20, a handle I25 by which the tray may be manipulated.

The various slide shoes of one vertical series of trays are connected by means of turning bars I25 connected to the shoes by means of pivots I 2! (Figure 1) To the upper end of each turning bar is pivoted a lever I28. This lever is pivoted at I29 intermediate its ends to the upper end of the bar I26, while one end is pivotally attached at I30 to one end of an arm I3I of a bellcrank lever pivoted at I32 on the standard or upright I08.

The other arm I33 of the bellcrank lever has pivoted thereto, at I34, one end of a link I35, the other end of which link is pivoted at I30 to one end of an arm I31 of a second bellcrank lever, pivoted at I38 to the lower end of the post or standard I08. The other arm I39 of this second bellcrank lever is pivoted at I40 to one end of a' link I4 I the other end of which link is pivoted to the turning bar I26 at the point I42.

The end of the lever I28 remote from the pivot ISG has therein a slot I43. In this slot works a pin I44 located on a rotating arm or disc I45. This disc is supported by a shaft I 46 supported in some suitable part of the incubator structure. Suitable means I46a and I46b is provided on the outside of the incubator for rotating this disc and the pin thereon. On the rotation of the disc the pin will cause the slot end of the lever to move up or down, depending upon the direction of rotation. This structure, shown in Figure 1a, is illustrative of conventional means which may be utilized for the same purpose and forms no part of this invention.

Each of the three sets of trays is operated by structure like the parts numbered from I26 to IM inclusive. These parts. are operated by disks rigidly mounted on the shaft I46 in the manner shown in Figure 1.

These parts are normally in the position so that the trays are held horizontally. By rotating the shaft I46 the trays may be tilted. When the pin is in a horizontal line with the shaft the trays are in horizontal positions. By rotating the shaft I46 the pin causes the lever I28 to tilt, and thereby tilt the trays.

When the pin I44 engages the lever I28 at the ends of the slot the lever I28 is given a longitudinal movement, thereby shifting the various slide shoes and at the same time shifting the eggturning frames in the trays. This shifting takes place at the end of each tilting movement. When the shaft I46 is rotated the trays are first tilted without any movement of the eggs. When the pin reaches a position substantially in vertical alignment with the shaft at the end of the tilting, the shoes are moved, carrying with them the egg-turning frames.

A continued movement of the shaft I 46 will the back into a horizontal position,

twith the. eggs properly turned. A further rotation will reverse the movement of the trays and 'als o reverse the tilting movement of the trays,

E and also reverse the movement of the egg-turn- 'ingframes' and the turning of the eggs. For the purpose of admitting fresh air to the various incubating. chambers there is provided for each chamber an airinlet Ml. Above the top tray of each-stacker trays is a protector screen I48,

"for catching solid matter, supported and operarea in conjunction with the trays.

In each chamber, at the sides, top and bottom thereof,

are air vanes- [49 for the purpose of controlling the passage of air through the chamber. These vanes are supported by hinges I50 so that they may be moved with relation to the adjacent part of the chamber to regulate the extent of the space between the stack of egg trays and the parts of the egg chamber. If these vanes stand out perpendicularly from their supporting membersjthey'almost entirely close the space around the traystacks so that the air is forced through :theegg trays.' However, if these vanes are addusted, so they will lie more nearly flat against thechamber walls or partition to which they are-hinged, passageways are provided for the air around the stack of trays.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehendwithin my invention such modifications as come within the scope of my claims and my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent,is:'

1. In an incubator, a cabinet having a chamber therein, a power means on the cabinet, and means operated. by the power means to apply a heating and a cooling fluid to the chamber to reduce the atmospheric pressure in the chamber and stir the air in the chamber, said secondnamed means comprising a casing structure on the cabinet having a cooling wheel chamber, a vacuum wheel chamber and a fan supported by the casing structure.

2. In an incubator, a cabinet, a heat exchange chamber for conveying a heat exchanging gas extending around the interior of the cabinet and closed against direct communication therewith, said chamber having a heat conducting wall arranged to conduct heat between said chamber and the interior of said cabinet, positively acting means to move said gas through said chamber, and means in said cabinet for directing air and moisture in liquid form against said heat conducting wall prior to deflection thereof into the incubating space.

3. In an incubator, a cabinet, a heat exchange chamber for conveying a heat exchanging gas extending around the interior of the cabinet and closed against direct communication therewith, said chamber having a heat conducting wall arranged to conduct heat between said chamber and the interior of the said cabinet, positively acting means to move said gas through said chamber, means to cause the air in the cabinet to move and impinge upon said heat conducting wall, and means to supply moisture to the moving air before it impinges upon the heat conducting wall whereby any unvaporized moisture in the air becomes vaporized said impinging means consisting of a rotary member of blade-like formation, the blades of which form troughs whereby moisture supplied to the moving air will be directed by the troughs into contact with said heat conducting wall.

4. In an incubator, a cabinet having therein a plurality of incubating chambers, a heating gas passageway for all of the incubating chambers comprising an annular heat exchange chamber in each incubating chamber and having as one of its vertical walls a wall of the incubating chamber, means in the passageway to heat the gas therein and means for each incubating chamber to regulate the temperature of the gas admitted to the heat exchange chamber therein.

5. In an incubator, a cabinet having therein a plurality of incubating chambers, a vertically positioned annular heat exchange chamber in each incubating chamber and extending therearound and closedagainst directcommunicationtherewith and having as one of its walls the wall of its incubating chamber, each heat exchange chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a heating chamber having an inlet connected to the heat exchange chamber outlets and an outlet connected to the inlets of the heat exchange chambers, means to cause a heating gas to flow through a circuit including said heating chamber, means to supply a cooling gas to each chamber inlet, and thermostatic means in each incubating chamber to regulate the admission of heating gas and cooling gas to the heat exchange chamber therein.

6. In an incubator, a cabinet having therein a plurality of incubating chambers, a vertically positioned annular heat exchange chamber in each incubating chamber having as one of its walls a wall of the incubating chamber, each heat exchange chamber having an inlet and an outlet,

a heating chamber having an inlet connected to the heat exchange chamber outlets and an outlet connected to the heat exchange chamber inlets, means to cause a heating gas to flow through the circuit including said heating chamber,

means to supply a cooling gas to each exchange 

